


Waking up slow

by warlock_enthusiast



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:46:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24186109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warlock_enthusiast/pseuds/warlock_enthusiast
Summary: Detective Kat Kingston faces a murder, Unit Bravo and her mother.Set in book 1. Not always canon compatible! I'll change a few things here and there
Relationships: Detective/Adam du Mortain, Female Detective/Adam du Mortain
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. a good morning

_I don't know where to begin  
But I didn't think I cared  
I could be your friend  
But I'm unprepared _

Kat looked at the mirror and stuck out her tongue.

Not much to see there. Especially after getting almost no sleep. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, hollowing out her face, and giving her a constant aura of exhaustion. With her pale skin, Kat wondered, if some aspiring filmmaker would hire her for an extra in their horrorfilm. Background zombie vampire number 21. Surely she could throw in some undead moans and shuffling. 

She made a note to investigate, if anyone filmed in the surrounding areas. 

Dressed in a pencil skirt and blouse, Kat felt a bit more like herself. It hugged her wide hips and concealed her tummy, which she hadn’t been ready to show to the world since her early teenage years. She decided to throw in some jewelry, a long necklace, earrings, nothing special. 

A dash of powder and she faced her mirror again. “You can do this. Just take a deep breath and survive the day and make sure that no one else get killed.”

She’d been the logical choice for a promotion, but she started to doubt her abilities. Always the smart one in class, Kat now found herself facing obstacle after obstacle. A killer haunted her town and evidence seemed to be spare, one dead woman, strange blood samples, Verda working over hours to get some results. But nothing made sense. Wayhaven wasn’t known for it’s high crime rate. Most of the days, she investigated neighborhood disputes, lost cats (her rate of finding them was nearing 100%) and drug related incidents at times.

Lately, doubts crawled into her sleep and made her wonder, if she deserved the title of Detective. She saw herself as neither smart nor experienced enough. 

Not to mention a whole squad of agents occupied her office and station. With them around her, Kat felt out of place and small. Between the four of them were years of actual agent work and whatever they’d been paid to do. 

With them, her mother had also grabbed a part of her life again. 

_Wonderful._

“No. Not thinking of her.” Their complicated relationship offered too many raw wounds and too many missed birthdays and the vastness of a lonely childhood. At her ripe age of 31, she surely should get over it, but bitterness seemed rooted deep within in herself. All those expensive hours of therapy, just to face the same old shit. 

Kat tucked her red hair behind her ears and nodded. “Off we go then.”

Half past seven and her neighbors slowly began their day. She heard laughing children and dogs barking. The pure picture of a quiet, idyllic town. Kat wrapped her scarf a bit tighter around her neck, because the air felt cold and smelled of frost. Though, she’d always liked this time of the year, before it got uncomfortable warm and before pollen attacked her nose and eyes.

She got in her car and found herself relaxing behind the wheel, with the help of Stevie Nicks and her comforting voice. Singing along Seven Wonders worked miracles on a bad mood.

Her shoulders tensed as she noticed a familiar figure in front of the station. Handsome and rugged, Bobby owned too much space in her memories and still too much space in her life. 

Kat nodded. “Bobby.”  
  
“Hey, angel. Long time no see.” He smiled and stood right in front of the entrance.   
  
Sighing, she tried to find a way around him. “Look, Bobby, I haven’t got the time.”   
  
“Come on, just some small answers. Wouldn’t hurt you, eh?”

“At this point, I can’t tell you anything. We’re investigating different angles.”

“Please.” Bobby’s eyes were bright and cheerful and Kat rubbed her neck, hoping that she didn’t blush. He’d been charming back when they meet at college and then dumped her, because he couldn’t bring a chubby girl home to meet his parents.

Yeah, that had happened. 

Concentrating on how she felt back then surely helped with bringing more distance between the two of them. It also pushed the self-doubts to a new high. Damn. This morning totally screwed her over.

“The detective is needed inside.” 

Kat spun around and almost crushed into Adam’s chest. “Detective Kingston.” He opened the door and positioned himself right between herself and Bobby. Her throat seemed suddenly very, very dry with Adam standing so close. Dressed in his usual grey shirt and cargo trousers, he cut an impressive figure. 

“So, are _you_ going to answer a few questions.”   
  
“No.”

Kat slipped in and ignored Bobby’s protests. She already feared what he would write about her and the Wayhaven police. Probably calling them incompetent and lazy for selling a few more papers. 

“Good morning, Douglas.”

His smile looked earnest and cheerful. “Morning, Kat. Everything alright?”   
  
“Yes, thank you.” Kat nodded and followed Adam, because further stalling wouldn’t improve anyone's day. 

Adam opened her office door and she walked in. “Good morning. You’re awfully early.”

“Couldn’t wait to see you, Detective.” Felix quipped and Kat felt heat rising in her neck and up to her cheeks. Being the center of attention had never been comfortable and Kat tried hide her embarrassment with focussing on anything but Felix. 

A hot, steaming coffee waited on Kat’s desk and she found a note from Tina and a smiley drawn beneath it. She liked it with a dash of oat milk and cupped it in her hands as she sat down. Kat would visit her later and thank her for indulging one tired detective. The rest of the team had already made themself comfortable. Mason leaning against a filing cabinet, Felix lounging on the only other chair, Nate crunched over her desk, checking his notes and comparing them to Kat’s.

“So, another day of research?” Felix sighed loudly enough for Adam to stare him into silence again. 

Nate looked up, his warm eyes on Kat. “If that is your plan of action.”  
  
She looked down to check her mails. “Yeah, we need to find out what’s going on with the blood of the victim and how it fits into all of this.”

Back in college, she’d thought about following her passion for science and enter the pathology course, but it didn't worked out. It still lingered on her mind from time to time and she spent more time than necessary down in the lab with Verda. 

Kat read through the file again. 

_Janet Greenland._ Aspiring engineer. Far too young to face such a gruesome fate. 

Kat took a sip of coffee. “I’d appreciate it, if you would tell me about your findings. You’ve been tracking him for a while and must know more than me.”  
  
Nate and Adam exchanged a glance. Did they really believe themself to be subtle? They’d only known each other for a few days, but often enough she felt left out of the conversation and their secrets.

“You already received all our information.” Adam’s face seemed unmoved and his intense eyes woke a squeamish sensation in her stomach.

Kat stood up and tried to scrap together her last pieces of confidence. “I know that you’re not exactly excited to work with me, but I appreciate your insight into this and would be really grateful, if you wouldn’t leave me in the dark.”

"Detective Kingston…” Nate started, but Adam didn’t let him continue. 

Felix and Mason stayed quiet, probably used to the other two butting their heads. 

Kat waited for an answer, knowing that red spots started to bloom on her neck, betraying her confident words.

"So?"

"So." Adam's answer held a final note. 

Tina knocked on the door, thankfully cutting through the awkward silence that followed their exchange. 

“Excuse me.” Kat got up and straightened her skirt. “Time for break. There is a nice bakery around the corner, if you’re hungry. Makes good sandwiches and cupcakes.”

She left with a feeling that no one in Unit Bravo would follow her advice, and with her coffee secured between her fingers. 

Her friend slung an arm around Kat's shoulders and whispered. “The blond one is still staring.”  
  
“Probably thinking less and less of me and my competence. Wouldn't blame him." Adam du Mortain usually worked with skilled professionals, not some small town Detective that got a bit lucky and who had to be rescued from noisy ex-boyfriends. 

"Let's check out, if anyone has repaired our vending machine.” Kat ignored the urge to look back through the glass and just held herself a bit stiffer.  
  
“You’re still hoping to get back your money?” Tina guided her towards their break room.   
  
“I do or at least that chocolate bar.”

“Always the optimist.”  
  
Kat snorted. “Haven’t been called that in a while.”

As expected, the vending machine didn’t work and she positioned herself against the counter. Tina opened their mini fridge and made a face. Douglas had forgotten about his lunch for about a week now and it began to grew a soft pelt. They really should trow it away, but neither of them seemed brave enough to touch it.

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Tina nudged Kat’s shoulder with her own. “How you’re holding up? I mean with the case and with your mother back in Wayhaven?”

“Not that well, if you want the truth. I’m afraid for the people here and I don’t know, if I’m up to the task of catching the murderer. Unit Bravo doesn’t help as much as I thought they would.” 

Kat bit her lip. “And Rebecca, hm, you know … I respect her on a professional level and that is as far as I’m thinking about her now.”  
  
“It’s a start.”   
  
“I guess.” Kat finished her coffee. Dead father, absent mother, didn’t help much growing up.   
  
She shook her head. “Enough of my stunted emotions. How was your date with… damn, what was her name? Anna?”   
  
“Annabelle.” Tina smiled. “Actually, pretty bad. We didn’t click and after dinner we decided to just accept that and part ways.”   
  
“Sorry to hear that.”   
  
“Nah, I’ll find _the_ one and at least she didn't throw her drink at the bartender.”

Tina laughed and her eyes sparkled with amusement. Kat found herself smiling too. It seemed hard to not do when her friend was around. She also remembered their horrible double date, back when her guy got so angry about something that he threw his perfectly fine vodka soda at the Bartender. They didn’t arrest him but let him go off with a warning to behave better in the future.

“Here’s to another day in Wayhaven.” Kat raised her empty mug.   
  
“Hear, hear!”


	2. a shitty day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A second murder happens and Kat doesn't know where to start her investigation

_I was unaware_   
_You were lighting flares_   
_Now I'm runing scared_   
_How did it come to this?_

Kat rested her head against the steering wheel. 

Another victim.

Another one, she didn’t protect. Garret Hayes lay dead and cold beneath the harsh lights of Verda’s lab, neck mauled and eyes milky. The sight alone made her stomach turn, though having to deliver the news to his mother took her number one spot of upsetting experiences of this day. Kate had started to cry immediately and she’d got down on her knees to pull her close and comfort her. 

Even with the help of Adam’s erie, professional abilities, nothing much had come out of questioning the grieving woman afterward. Kat didn’t blame her, but she couldn’t help but wish for even the smallest trace of their killer. 

Garret’s death seemed more personal somehow, closer to home than Janet’s, and Kat hated herself for lacking objectivism. 

She tried to breathe and to ignore the memory of Tina’s face when suspicion had become reality. How her warm eyes filled with tears, how she firmly pressed her lips together to suppress a sob. 

Kat felt exhaustion grip her whole body. 

Where to go with this investigation? A vicious murder ran rampage in her town and left almost no evidence but some blood and saliva and more questions than answers. Motives? Profile? A link between the victims? 

Her hands shook, as she fumbled for her keys. 

Maybe she wasn’t meant to be a Detective. Maybe all of this had been a pipe dream from the beginning or an attempt to impress her mother. She’d started this career to help and to protect and frankly, Kat currently sucked at both. Good grades and tests held no value, if you couldn’t handle a real situation and failed at solving two murders. Especially, if your body crumbled beneath the first symptoms of stress. 

“Detective Kingston?” Adam crouched down to look through her window. “It’s late. You need to go home.”

“Eh.” Kat sat up straight, feeling herself blush with shame. “Yes, of course. I was … I.” She stumbled over her own words and saw his green eyes squint against the streetlights.

“You need someone to take you?” Adam’s face remained passive and unreadable and she heard a note of impatience . Somehow his presence only sparked another bout of self-pity and anger towards her lacking abilities concerning this investigation. Frustration bubbled in her throat, ready to erupt. 

_Oh look at you, Mister super Agent, always so sure of everything, always so strict, always lacking empathy, always so handsome._  
  
Kat bit the inside of her cheeks. “No, of course not. I can handle this.”  
  
Adam raised a brow, which clearly stated that he didn’t believe her statement. Not one bit. 

“You must focus, Detective Kingston.” 

“I know, Agent du Mortain. Good night!” She started her car and drove home. 

Home meant her small and messy apartment, with heaps of books stacking up everywhere, and a whole collection of dirty coffee mugs, adorned with clothing and hastily written scribbles. She should really clean up her place (maybe on the weekend), but Kat’s body just longed for a hot shower and sleep. 

She indulged it. 

Her dreams seemed to be inconsistent and dark and awoke a feeling of dread in her stomach. Kat’s subconscious replayed her failing at her job, pictures of the murder scenes, and threw in some traumatic experiences of her teenage years. 

Morning arrived to soon and yet not soon enough. 

Kat hit the snooze button and crawled beneath her blankets. Just five minutes of peace, before everything came crashing down around her. _Pure bliss._ Hidden in her bed, she felt reminded of her childhood and how she’d waited for her mother to come home night after night, wrapped tightly in a blanket, which still smelled of father. 

“Ugh.” With five minutes to go, Kat decided on just picking up clothing from the floor and putting her hair in a small bun at the nape of her neck. No makeup today, just bare exhaustion and pure professionalism. 

Kat adjusted her driving mirror and caught a glimpse of her pale reflexion. “This is a new day! Be better, be smarter, Kat.”

She needed to solve this and to grant the families and the victims closure. 

Douglas seemed to be missing from the frontdesk, probably late or taking a break, and she sighed in relief, because one less person she had to face today. 

“Detective Kingston! Good morning, it’s good to see you.” Nate watched her entering the room, but his smile suddenly froze. 

The attention of the whole team focussed on her, gazes drifting from her neck to her midsection.

“Eh, your buttons.” Felix, obviously the most helpful agent, pointed at her blouse.

“Oh, shit.” Some buttons had come undone, or probably hadn’t been closed earlier this morning, and offered a view of her sports-bra and too much skin. Kat quickly closed them, making the mistake of meeting Adam’s eyes, who didn’t meet hers, because he stared at said failed buttons. 

Her heartbeat sped up and pressed against her rips. The moment stretched and stretched and Adam’s shoulders looked tense. 

_No no no. Close your stupid buttons!_

Neither time nor place to act like this. 

_You haven’t dated in a while and are probably hormonal and vulnerable._

With her head as red as a ripe tomato, Kat sat down behind her desk. “We have a murder to solve, not witness my wardrobe malfunctions.”

She reached for a pen, just to hold something in her fingers. “But I’m sorry for… that.”

Felix handed her an Agency folder and patted her shoulder. “No offense taken, Detective Kingston.”

With that, the tension seemed to leave the room. Nate got up to offer her a bit more space, while Mason excused himself for a cigarette break (finally not vanishing in a cloud of smoke any more). Douglas had rolled the whiteboard into her office earlier and she clipped Janet’s and Garret’s pictures at the top. “Lets visualize our evidence.”

Kat carefully wrote down the basic informations beneath their pictures. Names, ages, occupations, social groups, families, a blank space for the lab report.

“So, what do we have?” With her hands on her hips, she knew that it wasn’t much. The nagging feeling that somehow Unit Bravo withhold information got stronger with the passings minutes. Nate and Adam exchanged glances too often, Felix tried to charm away her questions, and Mason did was he was told without any sign of interest. 

Maybe she’d call Rebbeca later today, _if_ she got a hold of her. 

They discussed for a few hours, slowly going over the evidence again, moving in circles until early afternoon. Kat dialed up Verda three times, but the hospital still hadn’t examined the blood samples. Cutting funding to a necessity would do this. 

Another wasted day. More lives on the line. 

Kat rubbed her temples, as she began to feel a headache build between her eyes. Her phone vibrated on her desk and she gladly excused herself.

“Bobby. Not the best time.” She’d hoped for a call from Tina or Verda, but no, it had to be him, a whole nother cause of headache. Kat brought some distance between her office and herself, but still managed to watch Unit Bravo at work. Everytime, Kat left there seemed to be some kind of argument? To be a mice in that room now. 

“Is it ever, angel?”

When Kat didn’t reply, he continued talking. “It’s your last chance to give me a statement.”  
  
Kat needed a moment to process his words and shook her head in disbelief. “Are you actually threatening me?”  
  
“No, of course not. Just gathering information to form a better picture. The people of Wayhaven deserve that.”  
  
“I know, but we follow strict guidelines.”

“You sure?” She heard his smile and her suddenly her body turned cold.  
  
Kat rubbed her hand against her hip. “Yes, but we can set up an interview in a week.”  
  
“Nah, too late.” Bobby chuckled. “Bye, Kat.”  
  
“Bye, Bo..:” But he’d already hung up. 

Combat training had always been the hardest discipline for her, but she surely would’ve kicked some punching back this very moment. How did he manage to get under her skin so easily? After all those years, Kat still fumbled for words when talking to him. 

“Grow up.” Kat whispered beneath her breath. She held her back a bit straighter and returned to her office. 

“I’ll head to Verda now. You guys are better equipped than us. Is there a chance that your forensic experts may take a look at their clothing? Look for traces of DNA, hair?”  
  
Mason shook his head. “We’re not CSI.”

“Sadly, I don’t really know what you guys are, because no one ever told me exactly. And for all your expertise, nothing is going forward.” Kat’s cheek reddened again. This time, because anger made her irritable. 

“Detective Kingston.” Nate crossed the room to stand at her sight. He smelled clean and fresh and rather unobtrusive. “We’ll take the SUV and look at that warehouse again, if it fits with your plan.”  
  
“Of course. Call me, if you find anything.” And Kat left the office and Unit Bravo to their own devices. 

She shivered from the cold room and put her jacket tighter around her, while sitting at Verda's side. They examined the blood anomalies again and the traces of saliva, which they'd found on Garret. Nothing new there, but a welcome distraction from being locked in a small office with Unit Bravo and clashing with their personalities. They'd probably thought her a total failure. Overly emotional and not able to get herself dressed in the morning. 

In comparison the pathologist was kind and soft and far more bearable.

Verda and she'd quickly become friends, because both of them loved a good book and shared a knack for the science side of police work. Not to mention that he'd made her feel welcome at the station from day one.

"We'll call the hospital tomorrow. All of this takes too long." Standing up, she corrected her reading glasses. 

Verda followed suit and switched his pc off. "We'll do that."

"Don't stay up too late, though. We all need our sleep."

"Back to you. I can see your dark circles."

Kat laughed and waved his concern away with a quick eyeroll. 

"Bed, here I come."

Her office was blissfully empty as she returned and the sun had already set, so Kat closed her eyes, enjoyed a deep sigh, and collected her things. 

She took her phone and opened a chat with Tina. 

_you free this evening?_

_\- I might be? depends on what you offer_

_walk, talk, coffee and muffin?_

_\- shit day?_

_yes._

_\- mine too. can’t fathom what happened to Garret_

_\- ..._  
 _  
_\- pick me up at 7.

_will do._

Something to look forward to then. 


	3. complicating emotions on a complicated day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First they have a moment, then they have a fight.

His scent lingered on her skin.

Almost undetectable, Kat noticed a hint of citrus and something else, a bit like frost on a clear day.

_ Alluring. _

Kat bit her lip, rubbed her hands together and evaded Adam’s glance. Always so intense, always so unreadable. A blush spread on her face, thankfully less noticeable due to cover of darkness. Being alone with him, tied her stomach in knots nonetheless. With her wobbly legs, Kat longed for a nice, extended night of rest, and to forget about her life for a while. 

She pulled her own jacket a bit tighter around her. 

No one had ever given her a coat or any item of clothing, not even a scarf. Considering her stature, it never occurred to her someone might do. 

Kat inhaled some of the cold air. It helped her calm down and lifted the fog on her thoughts. “Thank you.”

“Hm?” He blinked, seemingly suddenly aware that they still faced each other.

“For your coat. It is pretty cold.”

“Yes.”

Kat didn’t doubt her own intelligence, but she noticed a certain lack of decency and cleverness while standing close to Adam. Not to mention stumbling over her own words. Neither Felix nor Nate awoke such insecurities. Even Mason offered the comfort of silence and an uncaring attitude, with Adam things turned complicated. 

He turned away, but Kat was sure that she’d noticed a bit of red sitting on Adam’s cheeks. Maybe a trick of the light, maybe wishful thinking. 

She tucked her hair beneath her ear and fumbled with her bag. 

“Do you want the radio back? For Government reasons?”

Adam shook his head. “No, keep it.”

Kat put it back and nodded. “Well, time to head home then.”   


The rest of Unit Bravo had already left a bit ago, burdening Adam with the deed of getting her home safely. As usual, they kept things from her. It’d been more obvious tonight, but every question went unanswered. Why the sudden and frantic behaviour? Why did they look so surprised after walking around for two hours? Something had been in the air, lurking in the shadows and they didn’t dare to involve her. 

“I’ll take you.”

“You don’t need …”   
  
“Yes, I need to.”

“Do I have a choice.”   
  
Adam shook his head, but smiled faintly. “Right now? No.”

They got to her car, which she’d parked a few streets away. Adam appeared tense, every muscle strained, always ready to jump at an unseen enemy. His eyes darted around, as if he waited for an attack. Kat decided to not bother herself with any more questions tonight. 

He raised his brows, forming creases on his forehead. “You need a better ride.”   
  
“Well, Wayhaven’s budget is limited and I still have student loans to pay back and monthly rent.”

Adam tilted his head. “Of course. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“You didn’t.”

He did. Not everyone lived on some huge government payment and drove through town in a SUV.

Adam crammed himself behind the wheel, not caring about a discussion about who’d drive. Kat was too tired to argue and just went with it. Adam’s head met the roof and he’d to bent his back in an uncomfortable position. He managed to start the car though. Huge success on his part. 

Thankfully he didn’t mention her small plush-toy, dangling from the driving mirror. A dragon that she’d won on some Renaissance faire a few years ago, while rescuing a princess from a tower. 

The drive seemed silent. Kat’s hand hovered in front of her radio for a bit, but she assumed that Adam wasn’t too keen on music, Especially with her taste preferring female-lead bands and solo artists. Instead she looked out of her side window, watching her peaceful hometown passing by. Kat felt dreadful. Such a serene scene, so many happy, innocent people all depending on her. 

No pressure.

Kat rested her head against the window, wallowing in self-pity and ignored sitting so close to Adam. His scent still surrounded her and would be left in here and she wondered how she’d also deal with that. Maybe she needed to buy a magic tree in the morning. 

An exemplar of the newspaper, which had led to this night of patrolling, waited on the backseat. Kat had read it a few times, experiencing a mixture of frustration and anger and hurt. Somehow Bobby managed to find every soft spot of her professional life and exploited them. Kat didn’t know better back in college and denied any signs of warnings, but he’d used the same tactics back then. 

Manipulations, putting her down, making her feel small, useless. Years later, she still couldn’t escape her doubts.

Kat pointed at the apartment complex, rather different from all those small houses on the outskirts. “This is mine.”

Both got out of her car and his clothing appeared a bit ruffled. 

Kat looked at her feet. “Goodnight, Agent du Mortain.”   
  
“Goodnight, Detective Kingston.” His eyes lingered on her mouth for a few moments and Kat turned around to open her door. 

Adam still looked at her, as she entered her flat.

_ Oh. _

Kat slumped down on her chair. She’d always thought of adopting a cat or two. It’d be nice to come home to someone, a warm, fuzzy presence at her side. Maybe later this year, after everything here was finished. A quick, hot shower and a huge towel improved her mood and Kat managed to read a few pages of her novel, before finding her eyes too tired and her mind wandering to Adam again.

Checking her phone, she saw two missed calls from Tina and one message from Bobby. 

She ignored the latter and wrote her friend.

_ Long night. Going to bed. See you in the morning <3 _

**\----**

“UGH.” Kat stormed down the stairs.

Verda gently closed a file that he’d been reading. “Bad day?”   
  
“Bad teammate…” Kat took a seat right next to him, remembering Kate’s tears and Tina’s reaction to seeing Garret’s mother again. “Bad month.”

“You’re welcome here, Kat.” He patted at the empty chair beside him. 

Solomon Verda appeared rather polished and neat and far too elegant for a cellar lab like this. He’d be more at home in some stylish FBI headquarters or a tv-show. Verda had been a role-model for her wardrobe since becoming a Detective and his warm smile soothed her hurt feelings. 

She’d also spend some nice family dinners with him, his husband and their two adorable children, so their bond went deeper than just a work friendship. 

“So?”

“I’m starting to believe that working for the Government somehow steals your humanity.”

“Don’t be too hard on them.” Verda touched her hand. “Or your mother. We can’t imagine what they have to deal with on a daily basis.”

“You’re right.” Sighing, Kat let her head sink against Verda’s desk. “But … just … ugh.”

“Glad we can talk without real words.”   
  
“Ugh is a real word.”   
  
“You sure?”

“Pretty sure.”

“The little ones use it a lot and they’re not even in school yet.”

“See.” Kat smirked and sat up straighter. 

Adam du Mortain grated on her nerves and evoked raw emotions beneath her ribs. With his lack of empathy and feelings, how did he manage to go through the day? Kat was sure that they’d been moments between them. Minutes of him acting like a human, of him being shy, awkward. Just last night, he’d offered her his coat and drove her home and made sure that she got back in one piece. 

Why did he have to stumble into her life? There was enough on her plate already and too many burdens. With all of Kat’s conflicting emotions, old friend depression knocked on her door. She already felt a numbness waiting behind her eyes, ready to suck all the joy out of her life again.

Sensing that something was off, her friend tapped a finger against his chin. “Hm, do you remember our budget cuts last year? Getting rid of the really nice coffee station and our lab security cams?”   
  
“Yes, I do.” She furrowed her brow. “Why?”

“Because without a security cam.” He spun around, quickly rummaged through some drawers and emerged with a flask. “We can do that.” 

“Oh, Solomon, we’re still on a job.”

“It’ll be alright. Husband got it for my birthday. It’s filled with a tasty non alcoholic cider and won’t dull our senses, but sometimes you just have to take a sip, you know.. for the taste.”

“For the flavour!”   
  
Laughing, Kat put an arm around him and they shared a  _ non _ -alcoholic drink in private. The cider tasted sweet and sour and absolutely perfect. 

“Your husband has good taste.”   
  
“I know.” Verda’s soft expression spoke of love and loyalty and Kat couldn’t help but feel a tiny sting of envy. Not that she granted such an abhorrent too much room in her thoughts, because there was also genuine happiness for him in her mind. 

“Detective Kingston?” Nate appeared through the doors with Adam trailing behind him, cutting a sweet moment short. The later held his arms in front of his chest and wore a stony mask. His green eyes focussed on where Kat’s and Verda’s shoulders touched and his expression turned even sourer. 

“We’ve come to apologize for our behaviour. We’ve acted out of line and we understand your frustration with our behaviour.”

Kat doubted that Adam had agreed to this plan or felt remorse, but she stood up and walked towards them. “I don’t think that this is necessary.”   
  
Adam nodded. “I agree with Detective Kingston.”

Kat narrowed her eyes and meet his gaze. “Well, we agree then.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Hm!”

Nate’s smile didn’t waver. “Great. So … we can talk about some lab results then?”

Verda broke the awkwardness. “We can.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't know what I'm doing here. I guess, we'll have a bit more action in coming chapters


	4. a drunk night

“Another one?” Kat clinked their empty glasses together.    
  
“Another one! You go. I…” Tina tilted her head, carefully deciding if standing up seemed like a good decision or not. “Eh, just go!”

So, that was the answer to that. 

Kat took a deep breath and pushed herself up. She’d tried to pace herself, one cocktail, one shot. And she’d failed spectacularly. After three cocktails and five shots, Kat felt wasted. Wobbly legs, a tad crossed-eyed and surely far too unsure of her surroundings. In hindsight, she’d never been particularly talented in going out without getting drunk. Probably in direct correlation with self-esteem and crippling bouts of depression. Tonight had all been about reminiscing about old times and forgetting the present for a while.

But, well. Kat wasn’t here to analyze herself.  _ No, not today, Sir!  _ For once, she tried to forget about the case and past and her mother and just concentrate on being alive (and drunk). Pushing away the nagging conscience, which bothered her, because of two dead people and a killer on the loose.

Not to mention weird Doctor Murphy and his empty eyes and strange behaviour. 

She leaned over the bar and smiled. “Tequila sunrise! Two.”

“Yes, Detective Kingston.” Chen raised a brow, said nothing, and turned around to mix the cocktails. 

Getting back to Tina seemed more exhausting than before and her friend patted the empty space beside her. “Ah, wonderful. Come here.”

Kat followed her invitation. Their shoulders touched and she saw a reflection of the bar’s lights in Tina’s eyes. Always so pretty. Always so put together. She hoped that her friend would never lose her spark. 

They’d almost shared a good cry earlier, talking about their past patrolling the streets together and missing each other terribly. 

Tina looked relaxed now and drunk and raised the corner of her mouth, a cat waiting for some cream. “So, what’s going on with Unit Dashing? Any compromising situations?”

Of course. 

Reading so many romance novels had put a special kind of imagination in her head. About wet, white shirts and fountains and romantic horse riding at the beach, not to mention a whole lot of passionate, nightly encounters. 

To be completely fair, Kat had borrowed a few of the smuttier novels and indulged herself. A lack of romance in her life didn’t mean that she’d suddenly lost all of her baser instincts and needs.    
  
She puffed up her cheeks. “They’re driving me insane and they’re so full of shit at times.”

“No help then?”   
  
“Maybe a bit. Not much though.” Kat rubbed her eyes. “Well, Agent Sewell is helpful and really, really smart. And Agent Hauville is … how to describe it? A ray of sunshine. I like him, yes.”

She  _ did _ . The observation surprised herself. 

Though, Kat dreaded the day that Felix and Tina formed a bond. A future filled with endless pranks and much laughter and so much warmth. Actually, not the worst thing to imagine. 

_ Maybe  _ they should spent some time together. 

Tina nodded, or tried to, because her movements seemed sluggish thanks to alcohol, and pinched Kat’s shoulder. “A toast to us then.  _ We’re _ great.”   
  
“We are.”

“Yeah!”

“YEAH!”

TIna shuffled closer, her breath hot on Kat’s cheek. “Important question!”   
  
“Hm?”   
  
“Most handsome?” Tina’s eyes held a dreamy expression. “I vote for Nate. His eyes are just so, so pretty and I’ve always liked a bit of stubble and a good jawline.”   
  
“Eh.”   
  
“Come on, spill it. I’ve known you for years and we’ve talked about boys so so many times. Even about girls. I know your type.”   
  
Kat blushed and nearly spit out his name. “Adam.”

A moment passed.

Then another.

His name hung between them like some deep, dark secret, until Tina began to laugh and to pat Kat’s thigh.    
  
“Uh, like your guys cold, eh?”

Kat shook her head. “Remember Bobby?”   
  
“Sadly, yes.”

Both of them prefered to stay silent on the matter of Bobby to not ruin their evening. 

“I don’t know. It’s just something …” Sighing, she rested her head on Tina’s shoulder. “Something about how he holds himself, always so tense and closed off. He’s clearly built a barrier between himself and the world and I just want to… you know, see what lingers beneath?”

“And you want to see him snap and press you against the nearest wall, ravishing you with his lips.”   
  
“MAYBE.”    
  
“OH… oooooh.” Tina giggled and wrapped an arm around Kat’s shoulder. “Look there.”

She hadn’t noticed how the bar suddenly went rather quiet. All the laughter and voices ebbing away with the presence of four Agency agents. And Kat knew, her short break was over with them in here. 

_ Shit. _

Adam’s dissapproving gaze made her squirm. It shifted from her bandaged hand right to her face, then to Tina drunkenly stumbling over her feet.

“You’re inebriated.”

“Yes. I’m drunk. Sorry, you had to find me here but I’m off duty and well, yes.”

Wonderful conversation. 

Kat felt relieved that he hadn’t witnessed their earlier talks. She could live without him overhearing her swooning about him. Especially now, that his cold, green eyes watched her in such a disappointed manner. Her outfit looked ruffled and untidy with the first few buttons of her blouse open and her skirt too high on her thighs. Kat tried to make herself more presentable and earned a scuff from Adam. 

“I need, uh, I need to ... “ Tina failed at standing up and used her arms to steady herself. Thankfully Nate came to her rescue and Kat noticed a faint blush sitting high on her friend’s cheeks, as he steadied her with his body. Ha!

“Have to go.” She pressed herself against Nate and let herself be guided to a cab. 

Kat waved at her. “Write me when you get home!”

“Nothing wrong with a bit of fun, eh?” Felix tried to make light of the situation and earned a grunt from Mason, who already checked the bar’s drinks and ordered a round of something high in spirits. 

“That is settled then.” Felix laughed and guided Kat back to the comfy chairs and sofas. 

Drinking with Unit Bravo wasn’t as bad as she’d imagined. Especially with Felix at her side and Nate’s soft smiles and voice. Mason prefered a chair, which let him watch a group of pretty college students, while also offering enough shadow to hide half of his face.

Adam’s shoulders and back seemed straight and tense, but the green of his eyes looked a bit less hard and cold as he talked with his teammates. They cared about each other. All the banter and manly grunting, they cared and they liked being in each other presence. Maybe Kat hadn’t noticed it earlier, but their bond ran deeper than that of colleagues. 

Suddenly feeling a bit sappy, Kat got up. “I’ll go and get us a nightcap.” 

Her phone beeped and she found a message from Tina, explaining that she just fell right into her bed, followed by a paragraph of eggplants emojis. 

Smiling and rolling her eyes, she looked at Chen and ordered the drinks. 

Kat didn’t expect Adam so close behind her. She felt his presence, the hard planes of his body. His hand rested near hers and his voice washed over her, while making small talk. Their hands touched, as both reached for the glasses.  _ Helping with carrying the drinks, yes, of course. _ Her throat went dry and heat rose to her neck and face. Her heart picked up the pace and Adam appeared flustered as well. 

For once, unsure of himself? His gaze lingered on her mouth and neck and drifted lower to her chest. 

Something between shifted and fell into place. Just for a second, Kat seemed to know how to approach him and to go forward with this, this feelings. 

The moment passed, but the warmth in her face lingered. Everything felt so complicated with him around him. Felix patted her back, seemingly knowing what was going on her head and Kat offered him half a smile. 

At least, they could enjoy a drink in peace. 

\---

_ To arrest the killer. To get answers. Murphy was the killer. _

Kat’s hands formed fists. 

She hadn’t been this angry in a while and almost felt the blood rush to her head. Trusting them didn’t get her far. Instead they just lied and lied and kept secrets. A part of her had doubted their intention from the start. Following and protecting her from what exactly? What the heck was going on? Did her mother order them to block important facts from the case? But they never answered her questions, just offered flimsy excuses. Unit Bravo probably slowed down her investigation as well. Would make sense. A part of this puzzle was missing and had been from the start. Kat felt in her bones. 

Always so close, yet so far away from a satisfying answer. 

Shit, shit, shit. Kat wished to be drunk again, but her mind seemed completely aware and clean and she cursed under her breath. They fucking knew the killer. They knew and did nothing. Let him roam around looking for more victims. And now they seemed against the idea of getting him?

“What…?”

Four people blocked her path. A vile stench filled her nostrils and Kat suppressed a scream. With their rotten skin and milky eyes, they reminded her of bad Zombie movies. Couldn’t be for Halloween and she hadn’t read about a convention in Wayhaven.

“... the fuck.”

They closed in on her and she found Unit Bravo at her side. 

“Thralls.” Kat heard Mason grunt and then chaos exploded around her. She’d left her weapons back at the station and tried to remember her training. Shock made it hard, though, and she raised her hands, only to witness Mason clashing with one of those things. A sick crack echoed through the night and the rest of Unit Bravo joined the fight. Felix seemed unusually fast and quick, almost too fast for her eyes. Adam parried attacks with brute force, while Nate prefered a more elegant solution of evading and hitting. 

Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

Their stench and slow movements froze her blood, but their words brought a whole new rush of fear. 

“Bring Kat. Not kill.”

“Detective Kingston?” Another voice cut through her panicked mind and she turned around to find a pale Douglas standing outside of the bar. She hadn’t even seen him in there. He appeared like some deer in the headlights, drunk and afraid and as shocked as Kat felt. 

One of these things turned around and focussed on him. “Kill witnesses.”

“Run, Douglas” In a spur of the moment decision, Kat put herself between them and Douglas and offered him a chance to flee. But what about her? She took a fighting stance, tried to punch her opponent and failed. Her knuckles hurt from trying to find some weak spot. 

Strong fingers closed around her neck and lifted her from the ground. Darkness began to dance in front of her eyes and Kat’s body collided with a wall. Everything hurt and she fought against losing her consciousness and mind. Bile rose in her throat and Kat thanked her reflexes for poking that thing in the eyes and a moment to steady herself and watch her surroundings. 

Unit Bravo fought with all the strength and skill of people their rank and training, but the  _ thralls _ fought without holding back, without fear or tactics. Just an ongoing wall of force. She’d never felt so helpless or ill prepared. 

Kat rose her arms. “We can help you! Please, calm down. It doesn’t have to end like this.”

But it did. For a moment, she thought that she’d seen some humanity returning to their faces, but Mason knocked them down, before anything else could happen. 

She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering and questioning everything. 

Kat found her voice to be high-pitched and panicked and she tried to met Adam’s gaze.

“Tell me what’s going on. What is happening here?” Almost a plea, but he didn’t answer. Kat felt tears well in the corner of her eyes, as she discovered the wound on Adam’s arm. It closed itself. One moment there had been a deep gash and the next … gone. 

“Adam…”

A sickening crack ended their conversation. Kat felt blood on the back on her head. “Ugh.”

And she fell and fell and hoped that someone would catch her. 

**Author's Note:**

> so, I don't know where to go with this and if I'll follow a straight timeline. It's more about getting it out of my system


End file.
